Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers: Job Description
Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.
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What Tasks Do Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of reinforcing iron and rebar workers span:
- Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
- Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
- Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
- Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
- Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
- Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.
- Bend steel rods with hand tools or rod-bending machines and weld them with arc-welding equipment.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective reinforcing iron and rebar workers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Concrete Buster
- Concrete Rod Buster
- Concrete Worker
- Field Ironworker
- Iron Installer
- Iron Worker
- Ironworker
- Ironworker Welder
How Many Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Are There?
There are roughly 481,124 reinforcing iron and rebar workers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,598 |
| Hourly median | $27.69 |
| 10th percentile | $33,740 |
| 25th percentile | $45,669 |
| 75th percentile | $69,527 |
| 90th percentile | $81,456 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $106,340 |
| Illinois | $102,260 |
| Nevada | $100,100 |
| Oregon | $91,150 |
| Minnesota | $91,090 |
| New York | $81,630 |
| Wisconsin | $81,020 |
| Missouri | $80,330 |
| West Virginia | $79,230 |
| New Jersey | $77,770 |
| Tennessee | $76,920 |
| Ohio | $73,560 |
| Nebraska | $71,340 |
| Louisiana | $68,220 |
| Arizona | $67,010 |
| Kentucky | $65,210 |
| Indiana | $62,980 |
| California | $61,440 |
| Colorado | $61,220 |
| Maryland | $60,550 |
| Arkansas | $59,830 |
| Georgia | $59,390 |
| Virginia | $58,750 |
| Alabama | $56,540 |
| Kansas | $54,750 |
| North Carolina | $51,510 |
| Oklahoma | $50,910 |
| New Mexico | $50,750 |
| Utah | $49,990 |
| Texas | $49,150 |
| South Carolina | $47,050 |
| Wyoming | $46,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $45,080 |
| Florida | $44,780 |
| Mississippi | $36,940 |
| Guam | $36,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,760 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for reinforcing iron and rebar workers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $79,430 | 2.4% | 0.55 |
| Far Western US | $76,876 | 22.2% | 1.53 |
| Great Lakes | $76,478 | 5.6% | 0.53 |
| Middle Atlantic | $68,531 | 10.6% | 0.94 |
| Southeast | $56,249 | 20.7% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,007 | 5.7% | 1.63 |
| Southwest | $49,221 | 28.9% | 2.71 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $37,223 | 4.0% | 73.94 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $117,110 | 160 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $99,570 | 310 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $95,160 | 60 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $93,280 | 390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $93,190 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $92,980 | 880 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | TN | $85,340 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | NY | $81,630 | 40 |
Top Industries Employing Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
The largest employers of reinforcing iron and rebar workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12,160 | $59,190 |
| Manufacturing | 1,100 | $78,410 |
| Wholesale Trade | 340 | $104,970 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 220 | $49,990 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 120 | $40,410 |
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Project management software: Application Software SHEAR
- Project management software: Applied Systems Associates aSa Rebar
- Computer aided design CAD software: OTP ArmaCAD
- Data base user interface and query software: RebarWin
- Spreadsheet software: Spreadsheet software
- Word processing software: Word processing software
Work Environment
The work environment for reinforcing iron and rebar workers reflects the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Contact With Others
How to Become Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Entry-level reinforcing iron and rebar workers positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
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References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2171.00 (Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers).
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